Assorted product reviews

Over Thanksgiving, I went to College Station and visited Village Foods. Oh my gosh that store has a great GF selection. I was practically giddy. One of the things I picked up was these mini waffles. I normally don't prefer Van's waffles, but these minis looked cute and I was on a GF shopping high.

Surprisingly, I like them. They aren't as dry as their regular waffles and they toast up perfectly. I will probably get these again.

I also picked up a couple packets of Road's End Organic Vegan Golden Gravy mix.


I know, I know. Gravy from a mix. I was a big "gravy from a mix" kind of girl before Celiac, so I was really interested and excited because it's hard to find any that are gluten free.
It mixed up pretty simple and quick. I don't think I liked it very much, though. It was very heavy on the garlic. I think I might use this to thicken sauces or add flavor, but I won't make it as straight gravy; it was just a little too much.

I also found instant oatmeal from Gluten Freeda. Instant oatmeal! Two years ago I never would have thought that instant oatmeal would be a novelty. I tried the variety pack.

I like this stuff a lot, especially because it's quick and nutritious in the morning. I added extra flaxseed meal and almonds to get a little extra out of it. I wasn't a huge fan of the banana flavor, but I have an idea to add it to banana nut muffins that I think will work really well.

The man insisted that I get Gillian's Garlic Croutons.

I have to say, it's been a long time since I've eaten a crouton. I think they're pretty tasty and it was a nice treat. Since croutons are only easy to make if I've made bread and I've kinda given up on that for a while, these were very convenient and I might actually buy them again.

So, I had a very fun time trying out all these new-to-me products.

G is for gravy

if you got any... and we do!

Just after I finished the last post about how it's been hard to make a flavorful gravy that didn't have a strange jelly-like consistency from the cornstarch, madre found a jar of this:












It's basically a bullion cube, but in a jar. AND it's gluten free! She found it in Kroger in the "gravy section," but they also have a website.

It's high in sodium and not the most healthy thing for you, but gravy usually isn't. It's not like we eat gravy every day...

I made it using the recipe on the back of the jar, and it was good. I like the flavor. It tastes just like what I'm used to, so this is a happy girl.

Nuggets

Comfort food. Chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes & gravy, corn and green beans.

When I first started cooking I found that every cookbook I found, even the most basic, neglected to add recipes such as simple baked chicken, mashed potatoes, meatloaf, even hard-boiled eggs. I mean, I had no idea how to cook any of that!

So even though it's simple, I'm putting these recipes up here.

Mashed Potatoes:

Peel the potatoes and cut them into medium-sized cubes. Put into a pan and add enough water to cover the tops of the potatoes with a little extra. Bring the pot to a boil and boil until a fork goes through the potato with little resistance. Drain the potatoes through a colander and put them back into the pan or a bowl and add butter. Some people add a little milk to make them creamier but I prefer to add just the butter. Mix using a hand mixer until they're mashed potato-ey.

Chicken Nuggets:
Prepare three bowls:
Bowl one should contain flour (rice flour works fine). Throw in seasonings (chicken blends are good!)
Bowl two should have an egg, beaten with a fork.
Bowl three should contain about 1 c. bread crumbs, or two slices of bread if using a food processor. Add chicken seasonings to taste. For a crunch, add in some crumbled Rice Chex.
Have a cookie sheet ready, greased slightly.

Cut up chicken (strips or breasts) into nugget sizes, keeping them uniform in size so they cook around the same time. Roll them around, one at a time, in the flour bowl, then in the egg bowl, then do the same in the bread crumb bowl. Place them on the sheet and stick them in the oven at 325 until the juices run clear when you cut into them.

Gravy:
This is something I'm still working on, because I can't quite get the gravy to have a strong flavor. I usually used the mixes, but haven't found any that are gluten free. Here's what I did, though.

Pour a can of chicken broth into a small saucepan. Heat up with some seasonings, then pour some (about 1/3 cup) into a bowl. Stir in about a tablespoon or so of corn starch, then stir that mixture back into the saucepan. Keep stirring until it thickens. Now, this would work as a gravy, but the way it looks grosses me out. I add a couple spoonfuls of sour cream to give it a little more taste and make it not look so funky but I'm still working on that.

Anyway, I have two more things to say: "nugget" is a funny word, and I have found a use for that gluten-free bread that's been in my freezer for a while. What else can I use bread crumbs for...?